CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Americans gave an estimated $358.38 billion to charity in 2014, surpassing the peak last seen before the Great Recession, according to the 60th anniversary edition of Giving USA, released today. That total slightly exceeded the benchmark year of 2007, when giving hit an estimated inflation-adjusted $355.17 billion.
The 2014 total jumped 7.1 percent in current dollars (5.4 percent when inflation-adjusted) over the revised estimate of $339.94 billion that Americans donated in 2013, according to Giving USA 2015: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2014.
In addition, 2014 marked the fifth year in a row where giving went up; the average annual increase was 5.5 percent in current dollars (3.4 percent when inflation-adjusted).
All four sources of giving -- individuals; corporations; foundations; and bequests -- upped 2014 donations to America’s 1-million-plus charities, says the report, the longest-running and most comprehensive of its kind in America. Giving USA is published by Giving USA Foundation, which was established by The Giving Institute to advance philanthropy through research and education. The report is researched and written by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
“The 60-year high for total giving is a great story about resilience and perseverance,” said W. Keith Curtis, Foundation chair and president of Virginia Beach, Virginia, nonprofit consulting firm The Curtis Group. “It’s also interesting to consider that growth was across the board, even though criteria used to make decisions about giving differ for each source.”
2014 Charitable Giving by Source:
- Individual giving, $258.51 billion, or 72 percent of the total, increased 5.7 percent in current dollars (4 percent when inflation-adjusted) over 2013.
- Foundation giving, $53.97 billion, or 15 percent of the total, was 8.2 percent higher than 2013 (6.5 percent when inflation-adjusted).
- Bequest giving, $28.13 billion, or 8 percent of the total, increased 15.5 percent (13.6 percent when inflation-adjusted) over 2013.
- Corporate giving, $17.77 billion, or 5 percent of the total, increased 13.7 percent (11.9 percent when inflation-adjusted) over 2013.
“As we mark the fifth consecutive year of growth in total giving, it is also encouraging that all but one of the recipient categories saw generally healthy gains last year,” said Amir Pasic, Ph.D., dean of the school. “While circumstances vary from organization to organization, it appears that the nonprofit sector overall can at last focus on expanding giving rather than regaining lost ground.”
2014 Charitable Giving to Recipients
Giving USA’s research covers what happens within nine different categories of charities; here’s what 2014 looked like for each:
- Religion—at $114.90 billion, 2014 giving increased 2.5 percent in current dollars, and 0.9 percent when adjusted for inflation.
- Education—giving increased to $54.62 billion, 4.9 percent more in current dollars than the 2013 total, 3.2 percent when inflation-adjusted.
- Human Services—its $42.10 billion total was 3.6 percent higher, in current dollars, than in 2013 and 1.9 percent when inflation-adjusted.
- Health—the $30.37 billion 2014 estimate was 5.5 percent higher, in current dollars, than 2013, 3.8 percent when inflation-adjusted.
- Arts/Culture/Humanities—at an estimated $17.23 billion, growth in current dollars was 9.2 percent in 2014, 7.4 percent when inflation-adjusted.
- Environment/Animals—The $10.50 billion estimate for 2014 was up 7.0 percent in current dollars, and 5.3 percent when adjusted for inflation.
- Public-Society Benefit—the $26.29 billion estimate for 2014 increased 5.1 percent in current dollars over 2013, 3.4 percent when adjusted for inflation.
- Foundations—at an estimated $41.62 billion in 2014, giving grew 1.8 percent in current dollars and 0.1 percent when adjusted for inflation.
- International Affairs—the $15.10 billion estimate for 2014 decreased 2.0 percent, in current dollars, from 2013, 3.6 percent when adjusted for inflation.
(An additional $6.42 billion, or 2 percent of the total, went to individuals, largely via in-kind donations of medicine from patient assistance programs.)
Read the full news release online to learn more. Press kit available on request to media; contact Sharon Bond or Adriene Davis.
About Giving USA FoundationTM and The Giving Institute
The Giving Institute, whose member firms provide counsel to nonprofits, was formed 80 years ago with a focus on ethical fundraising. Its seminal public-service initiative—annual reports on philanthropy known colloquially as Giving USA—began 60 years ago and continue today under the auspices of Giving USA Foundation, which it formed in 1985. Visit http://www.givinginstitute.org and http://www.givingusa.org.
About the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
The Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy is dedicated to improving philanthropy to improve the world through research and education. Visit www.philanthropy.iupui.edu.
